If He Had Been with Me
by Laura Nowlin
Contents
Chapter 40
Overview
Autumn and Jamie orchestrate Alex’s breakup with Trina and reunion with Sasha, using group influence to guide his choice. When it succeeds, Autumn realizes their friendship’s collective power and its potential for harm, foreshadowing painful consequences beneath the group’s warm spring closeness.
Summary
After school on Thursday, Autumn dyes Sasha’s hair blond with planned blue streaks. As they talk, Sasha admits she misses Alex. Spurred by this, Autumn calls Jamie and proposes reuniting Sasha and Alex, both to help Sasha and to restore balance to their friend group.
The next day at school, the group subtly pressures Alex by noting his absences while he spends time with Trina. At a movie night, they exclude Trina; Sasha sits beside Alex, and they share popcorn. Jamie reinforces the plan by telling Alex that nobody likes Trina, that everyone likes Sasha, and that Sasha misses him.
By Monday, Alex breaks up with Trina and is openly holding Sasha’s hand on The Steps to Nowhere. The plan has worked exactly as Autumn intended, revealing how easily their group can steer one another’s choices.
Sitting with her friends in the spring breeze, Autumn recognizes the deeper implication: their intertwined bonds form a powerful force that can nurture or harm. She foresees how future separations may look simple from the outside but will tear them internally, understanding how dangerous friendship and damaging love can be.
Who Appears
- AutumnNarrator; dyes Sasha’s hair, initiates plan to reunite Sasha and Alex, reflects on friendship’s power and risks.
- SashaMisses Alex; lets Autumn dye her hair; sits with Alex and rekindles their relationship.
- AlexDating Trina, then influenced by friends; breaks up with Trina and holds hands with Sasha.
- JamieSupports Autumn’s scheme; tells Alex the group dislikes Trina and that Sasha misses him.
- TrinaAlex’s brief girlfriend; excluded and criticized; dumped when group nudges Alex back to Sasha.
- AngieJoins movie night with Preppy Dave; part of the cohesive group on the Steps.
- Preppy DaveAngie’s date to the movie night; peripheral presence in the group outing.
- NoahThumb-wrestles with Alex on the Steps; part of the tight-knit circle.
- BrookeAdmires Sasha’s new hair; present in the group’s springtime closeness.